But He Never Hit Her
by EvilRegalDuckling
Summary: He told her she was worthless. He kicked her out. He abused her verbally. He cheated on her. He used her. But he never hit her. AU one-shot. SwanQueen is endgame.


**A.N. Hey guys! Don't worry. I'm joy starting a new story! This is a one-shot that came to me last night and I had to write it. Just so you know, I stayed up until 11:30 writing and editing this, and I have to get up at 5 in the morning... 5 hours of sleep... Yay!**

**Anyways. This won't make sense at first but just bear with it.**

**Warning: Mention of domestic violence. **

Xxxxxxxxx

How many times did she lie on the floor of their house, crying and shivering? Cringing every time she felt his spit on her from him yelling. Curling up in a ball as he told her how worthless she was and always would be. _No one loves you. No one will put up with you except for me. Quit crying, you baby. You're the one who made me this way. You drove me insane. You made me turn to alcohol. You're worthless. I hate you._ But he never hit her.

How many times did she tell herself she wanted better, _deserved_ better? How many times did she promise herself she would leave and never look back? She had promised herself she would find someone who needed her like she needed _him_, because he was her everything. She wanted to leave. But he never hit her.

How many times did she go lie in bed with him, dry tears clinging to her cheeks as she crawled under the covers, instead of getting a cab and running away? She woke up next to him, his arms wrapped around her and her legs draped across his waist. She wanted to leave. But he never hit her.

How many times did he tell her that he was going out to dinner with a client, working late, or was caught in traffic, but was really with another woman? How many times did he call the next morning and tell her he was too drunk to go home, so he got a hotel room, but by himself? And how many times did she believe him? It was sadistic. He loved having that power over her, controlling her, and she let him take full reign over her life. But he never hit her.

How many times had she called her best friend and asked her to come pick her up at the diner near their house because he had kicked her out for asking him about his mistresses? How many times did she defend him to her friend when she claimed that he was poison to her? She stopped telling her friend all together, because she was shameful? Because she was to blame. Shameful of being a woman who couldn't take care of herself because she needed him so fiercely. She loved him. But he never hit her.

How many times did she lie naked in bed next to him, crying herself to sleep and waking up to see him gone. No note. Just a text. _At work_. How many times did she wear long sleeved shirts to cover up the bruises on her wrists from his rough love making? But he never hit her.

How could she explain to her best friend that it was her fault when she didn't even want to hear the words tumble from the chapped lips of a broken woman? How long until she had enough?

Believing it was her fault meant that she no longer had the ability to see the reflection in people's eyes of what was real and what was normal. She could only see the reflection in his eyes, telling her that she was worthless and that no one would ever love her, which forced her to believe every word he said about her. She let him define who she was. She became isolated and shut everyone out; except for him. Because she needed him.

She promised herself that the minute he hit her, she would leave - for good. But even she knew that if she felt the sting of his palm across her cheek, the burning of her skin, she still wouldn't leave. She would somehow justify what he had done; she would convince herself that it was somehow her fault... That she had made him this way. But he never hit her.

So she never left.

Xxxxxxxxx

**September 15, 2014**

"Hey, you!"

Those words falling from unfamiliar lips stopped her in her tracks.

"You, Miss-"

She swiftly turned around and was met with piercing green eyes and blonde hair.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I'm Emily." She held out her hand. "Emily Swan."

"How do you know me?"

"A mutual friend told me about you." Emily smiled. "You're even more beautiful than she described."

She scowled. "You don't know anything about me, and I don't know you. Leave me alone." She turned around and a firm hand wrapped around her wrist, and she hissed from the pain and turned around.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I-" Emily stopped examining the wrist that she held in her hand when she saw the faint bruises. "What happened?"

She jerked her hand away from Emily's grip and narrowed her eyes. "I told you to leave me alone." She turned to leave, but that firm, unfamiliar voice called out to her again.

"Regina." The brunette stopped in her tracks, but didn't turn around. "I know about what he does to you."

At that, Regina's nostrils flared and she swiftly turned around, marching over to the blonde with her finger pointed.

"You don't know anything about my husband. Or me," she added, jabbing her finger into Emily's chest. "I don't know who sent you or what you want from me, but if you come near me again I will call the police."

"If you call the police, I'll tell them everything I know about him," Emily challenged. Regina's hard facial expression softened, and Emily grabbed her wrist gently and pushed it away from her chest.

"Let me at least buy you coffee and I'll explain everything."

Xxxxxxxxx

Emily looked at Regina, who was staring out the window at the snowflakes slowly falling out of the sky, her gloved hands wrapped around a warm cup of coffee.

"Kathryn sent me."

Regina turned to look at Emily, her eyebrows furrowing softly. "You know Kathryn?"

Emily nodded, smiling softly. "Since high school." She furrowed her eyebrows. "How long have you known her?"

"Since college. We were roommates."

Emily smiled. "So you're the one she always talked about." Regina looked back out the window.

"What did she tell you?" She asked without looking away from the window. Her slow breathing made small puffs of air on the window where the condensation from the snow disapated.

"Not much. Just the gist of things."

"Things?" Regina scoffed sadistically, huffing. "Things."

"I didn't think you'd want me to say it out loud," Emma said softly, Regina's tone not deterring her from her mission. "It would be better if we went someplace more private. If we were alone."

Regina looked at her again, taking one last sip of her coffee as she grabbed her beanie and put it back on.

"Let's go then."

Xxxxxxxxx

"This is a nice home you have."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a home," Emma replied. "Love makes a home. I'm all alone in this gigantic batchelor's pad," she commented sarcastically.

"It's lovely, though." Emily smiled softly as she looked at Regina.

"Yeah, you are."

The brunette's head snapped towards her. "I-"

"Here, let me get your coat for you." Emily walked up behind Regina and slipped her coat off of her shoulders, hanging it on the coatrack along with her scarf. Regina shivered when she felt Emily's fingertips graze her back. Emily took off her black combat boots, and told Regina to take her own black riding boots off.

"Would you like something to drink?" Emily asked as she made her way into the kitchen. "Water? Wine?"

"A glass of wine would be wonderful, thank you."

"Make yourself at home." Emily grabbed two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine from the bakersrack, pouring them each a glass.

She made her way back into the living room and saw Regina sitting on the couch. She took a seat beside her as she handed her a glass of wine.

"Thank you," Regina said softly, accepting the wine and taking a sip. "Mm," she moaned. "This is wonderful."

"It's my favorite," Emily said, her eyes never leaving Regina's lips. The brunette took another sip before licking her lips. Emily shivered.

"What do you know?" Regina asked.

Emily chuckled, thankful for the distraction. "You just cut right to the chase, don't you?"

Regina shrugged. "It's not every day that a stranger walks up to me, claiming to know things about my husband and I."

"Right," Emily sighed. "I kinda forgot the whole stranger part."

"So... Tell me what you know and maybe we can change that."

Emily sighed, furrowing her eyebrows. "I know that he hurts you. He yells at you and calls you worthless. He has kicked you out of the house before because you ask him about his mistresses. He hurts you, Regina. And you need to leave."

"But he never hit me," Regina said softly.

"But that doesn't mean that he won't. Regina, you don't deserve that kind of treatment. He doesn't deserve you, he-"

"No, it's the other way around. I don't deserve him. He saved me from my mother and I /love him./ I can't just leave him. He's all I have." Tears welled up in the older woman's eyes, and Emily set her wine glass down as she grabbed Regina's and set them both on the coffee table, scooting closer to Regina.

"Regina, you deserve better." Emily wrapped her arms around Regina, and the older woman sobbed into her shoulder. Emily rubbed comforting circles on her back, and the brunette slowly quieted, and her breathing evened out again. She pulled away from Emily and wiped at her eyes.

"I don't know why I'm talking to you. I don't know you," Regina said, shaking her head.

"Come on. Kathryn has never told you about me?"

"Well, she has. She talks about you all the time, but-"

"Exactly," Emily smiled. "So you basically already know me."

Regina looked down, fingering the ring on her left hand. "Kathryn told me you'd find me... She said that she told you about him... That I could trust you." Regina looked up at her. "Can I? Trust you, I mean."

Emily smiled softly. "Of course you can, Regina. And you need to trust me when I say that you need to get away from him." She glanced down and took Regina's hand in between her own, before meeting gazes with the older brunette. "You're a beautiful, smart, funny, successful woman, and you deserve the world. You deserve someone who can give you the world."

Regina smiled softly, sadly. "But I love him."

"I know you do. But he doesn't love you the way you love him; you don't destroy people you love. You need someone that will show you how worth it you are. You need someone who needs _you_."

"Like who?" Regina asked.

"Me." Regina's face dropped and she stated at Emily with slightly widened eyes and trembling hands. Emily leaned in, stopping short and looking into Regina's darkened eyes before moving a few inches, capturing the brunette's lips with her own. Regina inhaled sharply, surprised by how the feeling of Emily's chapped, but still soft, pink lips pressed against her own red ones felt so good.

Regina leaned closer to Emily and allowed the young blonde to grab onto her hips, firmly but gently pulling her even closer. The kiss depened and Emily bit Regina's bottom lip softly, releasing it with a pop.

Regina couldn't explain the sudden need to rip Emily's clothes off, or the magnetic attraction to the young blonde. Of course she was gorgeous. She had blonde hair and green eyes, and she wore those nerdy glasses that you see some celebrities wearing. And god, just from what Regina can see of Emily's biceps through her tight long sleeved shirt, the woman has a great body.

But why is so attracted to this stranger?

"We shouldn't do this," Regina said, pulling away for only a second before Emily kissed her again. "I'm married."

"You're right," Emma said, pulling away. "We shouldn't do this." They stared at each other before they both lunged forward at the same time, connecting their lips again. This kiss was fervent, needy, and Emily stood up as she led Regina towards her bedroom.

Once inside, she slammed the door shut by pressing Regina's back against it, pulling away to kiss her neck. Regina moaned, and Emily slipped her hand under Regina's crimson sweater. The older woman pulled it over her head before reconnecting her lips to Emily's. She sighed softly as she felt Emily pull away and cross her arms, lifting her own shirt over her head.

The blonde got down on her knees and unbuttoned Regina's pants, the taunting zipper and both women's heavy breathing being the only sounds in the room as Emily slowly pulled Regina's pants down her legs. She kissed her way up Regina's legs, biting the inside of her thigh softly.

Emily pulled the side of Regina's red lace underwear down, and stopped when she saw a hickey on her side, hiding beneath her underwear. Her jaw clenched as she saw another on the inside of her thigh, at the very top.

"Emily," Regina whispered softly. "Don't worry about it. Just... Don't stop." Emily stood up and unclasped Regina's bra, now reveling in the completely nude woman before her. She was a goddess.

"God," Emily breathed out, moving forwards to kiss Regina's chest and along the top of her breasts. She licked through the valley of her breasts before capturing a dark, hardened nipple between her teeth. She bit down softly, causing Regina to cry out, and then soothed the soft bud with a flick of her tongue. She then kissed a hot trail down Regina's stomach to just above the waistband of her underwear. She removed the last barrier and allowed Regina to rid her of her own clothes, their bodies molding together as they made their way to the bed.

Xxxxxxxxx

Regina closed the door softly behind her, hoping not to wake him as she set her keys on the table beside the door and ridding herself of her shoes, beanie, coat and scarf.

"Where have you been?"

She jumped slightly as she saw the silhouette of her husband leaning against the doorframe leading to the kitchen, his legs crossed at the ankles. He had his hand in his pocket. She saw the outline of a bottle in his hand.

He turned the lights on. "Answer my question."

"I-I was with Kathryn. I meant to call but my phone went dead."

"Then you should have come home."

"I'm sorry," she apologized softly, admiring how sexy he looked in his suit pants, black socks, button-up charcoal grey shirt rolled up to his elbows, and black vest. He hadn't shaved either, and stubble looked so god damned sexy on him.

He pushed himself off of the wall with his shoulder, stalking towards her. He set his beer down on the table, wrapping his arm around her waist and jerking her forward.

"Mm," he hummed as he kissed her. "You taste good. New lipstick?" Shit. Emily.

"Uhh... Yeah," she smiled, biting her lip. "You like it?"

"Love it. You should wear it more often."

Xxxxxxxxx

"Ooh!" Regina cried out, clawing the back of the person currently on top of her. "God." She bit her lip. "Don't stop."

The body atop her own pounded into her, stretching her walls and causing her mouth to fall open in silent screams.

"Fuck," she moaned, biting his shoulder.

She could feel her walls clenching around his full length, and her body started trembling.

"Oh god. I'm gonna c-" She screamed as she rode out her orgasm, "Graham!" He pounded into her until her body went limp.

"That was amazing, baby," Graham said, kissing Regina's sweat-covered forehead.

"God," Regina chuckled. "I swear, you're going to be the death of me."

Graham chuckled. "At least you'll die happy."

She smiled up at him, kissing him softly. "That I will." She put her hands on his chest, pushing him off of her and swiftly flipping them over.

"Now," she said straddling his hips. "It's time for me to help you."

Graham smiled wickedly up at her as she lowered herself down on him, bracing herself on his chest as his full length entered her.

"Fuck, babe," Graham said as Regina began rocking on top of him, moving her ass like theLatina she was. "You feel so good."

Regina rode him until they both came, and then she lay in bed sweaty and tired and sore and thinking of Emily and how she'd much rather be in bed with her.

Xxxxxxxxx

**September 16, 2014**

"_We had sex._"

Emily wanted to disappear into the phone, teleport to Regina, and glare at her.

"What?"

"_We had sex_," Regina repeated.

"Yeah, I gathered that much the first time. What I meant was, what the hell where you thinking?"

"_I was thinking that he's my husband and I love him. I'm allowed to have sex with him whenever I want._"

"Yeah, a husband who verbally abuses you."

"_Shut the hell up. You don't know him_."

"How many times?" Emily asked, her voice cracking as she walked in the cold September air.

"_Emily, I-_"

"How. Many. Times?"

Regina sighed. "_Seven_."

"You had sex with him seven times in one night?"

"_Yes. He's very energetic_."

Emily nearly gagged. "God. Regina, I-" She took a deep, calming breath. "I'm sorry."

"_It's okay._"

"Are you sure? I-"

"_I have to go_."

"Can I see you today?"

"_No_."

"Why not?"

"_I'm busy. Goodbye_."

Regina hung up on her. Emily shoved her phone angrily into her pocket, cursing the tears falling down her cheeks like icicles.

Xxxxxxxxx

**January 3, 2015 **

Emily threw another wadded up piece of paper at the trashcan and it bounced off, joining several others on the floor.

She stared at her phone sitting on her desk as if she was trying to set it on fire with her eyes; and if she could, it would already be ablaze. It was as if her phone had personally harmed her.

She cursed under her breath as she finally gave in, unlocking it and sending a text to Regina.

_Hey. I was wondering if you'd like to go get a coffee with me and then head back to my place to watch a movie or something. _

She chewed at her nails nervously as she awaited a response. It came a few antagonizing minutes later.

**I can't see you today, I'm sorry**.

_Regina... Do I not mean anything to you? You have seen me several times over the past month. We've been having sex for the past few months... What's going on? _

The response was almost immediate.

**Yes, of course you mean something to me. I'd like to see you again soon. Just not today. I have some things I need to think through. Like why I'm thinking of someone I just met a few months ago while lying naked in bed next to my husband of seven years. **

_You were thinking of me?_

**Yes. That's besides the point, Miss Swan. I am swamped with work today and won't even be able to leave the office for lunch. I'll let you know when I'm free.**

_Okay. Bye, Regina._

**Goodbye, Miss Swan.**

Emily threw her phone on her desk angrily.

She was back to trying to set it on fire again.

Xxxxxxxxx

"Regina?"

The brunette turned around and her eyes widened as she saw Emily behind her.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Regina's nostrils flared as she grabbed Emily's forearm, dragging her to an empty corner of the local diner.

"Emily, what are you doing here?"

"Getting coffee, same as you. Why did you lie to me?" She observed Regina. "More importantly, what the hell happened to your lip?"

"Emily!" Regina snapped quietly. "Shut the hell up."

"Regina-" Emily huffed, grabbing her wrist and leading her to the bathroom. "What are you trying to cover up with makeup?" Emily grabbed a paper towel and wet it, bringing it up to Regina's face.

"Emily, no-" Regina pleaded.

"Regina, I-" Regina hissed as Emily tried to wipe away the concealer near her eye. She met Regina's choclate orbs and her face dropped as she wiped all of her makeup around her eye away.

"He hit you."

Regina looked up at Emily with tear-filled eyes, and Emily's nostrils flared.

"Emily, I-"

"Why?" Emily seethed. "Why did he lay a fucking hand on you?"

"Because," Regina sobbed, "he found out about us."

Emily's face dropped. "Regina... This is my fault." She pulled her girlfriend - if that's what you could call her- into a hug. "I- I'm so sorry, I-"

"No, it's my fault," Regina sniffled. "I shouldn't have brought you into this in the first place."

"Don't blame yourself, Regina."

"I need to go," Regina said, slowly pulling away and wiping at her eyes. "He's waiting for me at home."

"Regina, don't go home. Run away with me. We can go wherever you want, and we don't ever have to come back."

"I- I can't, Emily. I'm sorry." She steeled her expression as she had so many times before.

"Now," she said firmly, "leave me be so that I can reapply my makeup."

"Regina..."

"Please," the older woman said.

"Okay..." Emily frowned as she reached for the doorknob. She turned around, her hand still reating on the cold metal.

"Regina, I-" Her throat closed up. She had been wanting to say it for so long. She just didn't know how. She took a deep breath. "I love you."

Regina looked away from the mirror to meet gazed with Emily, her chin quivering.

She quickly stalked towards Emily, her gloved hands raising up to cup Emily's cheeks, and kissed her softly. The brunette rested her forehead against Emily's.

"I love you too."

Xxxxxxxxx

Regina laughed.

"Graham, that's terrible!" She said, still chuckling.

Graham laughed along with her. "Then why are you laughing?"

"Because it's funny."

"I lo-" Graham was cut off by a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," he said, kissing Regina's forehead before standing up and walking into the foyer.

"Hello, how may I-?" His words died in his throat as he saw a familiar woman surrounded by two men standing on his front porch.

"Hello," she greeted, clearing her throat. "Mr. Humbert, would you mind coming down to the station with us?"

"Graham?" Regina called from the living room. "Who is it?"

"Don't worry," he said, not tearing his gaze away from the woman in front of him. "I got it."

"You need to come with us, sir," one of the men said.

"Graham?" Regina said, coming up behind Graham. "What is-" Her eyes widened as she saw who had knocked.

Her throat closed. "What is the meaning of this?" She asked, her voice cracking.

"Mrs. Humbert, we need you and your husband to come down to the station to answer a few questions," the woman said.

"The station," Regina asked. "The police station?"

"Yes ma'am." The woman's eyebrows furrowed. "What happened to your lip?"

Regina's nostrils flared.

"And your eye?" She asked.

"I fell in the shower," Regina replied.

"Mm," the woman hummed. "Oh! My apologies, I've been so rude. Allow me to introduce myself." She cleared her throat as she casually nudged her jacket open, revealing her gun and badge that her hand rested on top of.

A hand she had become so accustomed to. A hand she still felt running down her sides. A hand whose nimble fingers she could still feel inside of her. A hand who had roamed her body several times, feather-light touches sending shivers down her spine. The hand which held her heart.

"I'm Detective Swan. Emma Swan."

Xxxxxxxxx

The door to the interrogation room opened, and Regina looked up. Her makeup had run down her face from the angry tears she had shed the past few hours sitting in the station.

"I don't want to talk to you."

"Mrs. Humbert, I need to ask you a few questions," Emma ignored her as she threw a file on top of the cold metal table before taking the seat across from Regina.

"I have a few questions of my own."

"Okay. Go ahead."

Regina glanced at the camera in the corner of the room. "Turn the camera off."

"I can't. Then anything you say can't be used as evidence."

"I'll write a confession, a report, whatever. Just turn the camera off."

Emma sighed as she stood up and walked over to the camera, flicking the switch in the back. The captain would pan her for this later.

She sniffled as she made her way back to her seat. "It's off."

"Why did you lie to me?" Regina asked. Emma's jaw hardened. "Your name isn't Emily; it's Emma."

"Yes, that's correct."

"Why did you lie? Why didn't you tell me you were a detective?"

"If I told you, it would harbor our investigation."

"Into my husband!" Regina emphasized.

"Yes. And if I told you I was a detective investigating your husbands case, you wouldn't have opened up to me, would you have?"

"No," Regina spat out. "I also wouldn't have let you fuck me."

Emma's eyes closed tightly.

"How does my husband know you?"

Her eyes snapped open. "What? He doesn't."

"He does. I saw that look of recognition on his face. That look of terror." Regina's eyes teared up. "You've lied to me enough. I deserve answers."

Emma sniffled. "He is an ex. He beat me."

Regina's breath hitched in her throat. "When?"

"In college."

Regina took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Steeling herself for the answer. "One last question."

"Okay."

"Did you ever really love me?"

Emma teared up. "Of course I love you," she said, her voice cracking.

"Did you know who I was when you saw me on the street?"

Emma nodded. "It wasn't supposed to go like this. I was supposed to become your friend, get you to trust me, to open up to me... Then we were supposed to bust in your house and arrest him after I had a recorded confession that he beat you." Emma sniffled, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she met Regina's dark orbs across the table.

"But all it took was one look... One look to know that I'd be spending far too much time trying to save you from him. Far too much time trying to make something, anything as beautiful as you. One look to know that I'd fall in love with you. And I did. I fell hard. And I..." She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I recorded you in the bathroom today. But I couldn't get myself to show it to my captain. So I deleted it.

"But one of my partners had bugged your house without me knowing, by orders of my captain. She knew I wouldn't do it because she knew about us..."

Regina let the tears freely fall.

"But yes, Regina. Yes, I did really love you. I still do. I can't let you go."

"But I can let you go."

"Regina-"

"Give me the damn paper so I can write down what he's done."

Emma stared at her, her face contorting into a pleading expression, but Regina's face was completely devoid of emotion.

Emma finally looked away and opened the file, grabbing the paper and sliding it and a pen across the table.

She stood up and headed towards the door.

"Ask for Robin Locksley when you're done," Emma said, her hand on the doorknob, not turning around to look at her lost lover. "He'll release you."

"Miss Swan?" Regina said as Emma opened the door.

"Yeah?" The blonde asked hopefully, turning around to look at Regina.

"I'm not doing this for you, just so you know. I'm doing this for me."

Emma smiled softly. "Good. You de-"

"Stay out of my life," Regina interrupted. "I don't want to see you ever again."

Xxxxxxxxx

**May 20, 2020**

"Hey," Emma chuckled, wrapping her arms around the small child's waist and picking him up. "Henry!" She shrieked.

"Momma!" Henry giggled.

Emma chuckled. "You better run!" Henry wobbled away from his mother, towards a park bench where a woman and her daughter sat, reading a book in the warm summer air.

"Help me!" He shrieked, running and waving his arms everywhere. "Momma Dino is gonna get me!"

The young girl sitting on the bench pushed her book away and stood up on the bench to turn and look at Henry and Emma.

"Honey," her mother scolded. "Sit down, you might hurt yourself."

"Momma, look at that boy and his mom."

Henry ran over to the girl and smiles cheekily up at her.

"Hi! I'm Henry," he said, holding his hand out. "That's my mom. She a dinosaur and she chase me aroun' da park."

"I'm Emily," the little girl said, shaking the boy's tiny hand. "Momma, can we go play?"

"I suppose. Be careful!" She called after her daughter as she ran off with her new friend.

"Whew!" Emma huffed as she reached the woman. "Sorry, my son can be a little nosey sometimes. I'm-" The words died in her throat as Emily's mom stood up to shake Emma's hand.

"Emma," she replied softly.

"Regina," Emma said, her hand slowly falling to her side. "I- I thought you left. Kathryn told me that you moved to-"

"I did," Regina nodded, still mesmerized by the lover she had never truly gotten over in the 5 years that she hadn't talk to her.

"But I wanted Emily to grow up where I grew up, even if my childhood wasn't the best."

"Emily," Emma said softly, her heart clenching.

Regina smiled softly. "Henry was my father's name, you know."

Emma smiled, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know."

Regina's heart fluttered as she realized that she had told Emma a few years ago, when she knew her as Emily, that she wanted to name her first son Henry after her late father.

"Momma!" Henry shrieked, coming up to wrap his arms around Emma's leg. "Can we go get ice cweam?! Ice cweam fuck here!"

Regina's eyes widened, and Emma's cheeks flushed deep crimson. "He hasn't quite learned how to pronounce his 'T's yet..." She cleared her throat as she crouched down to be eye-level with Henry. "It's 'T', Henry. _T_ruck," she emphasized the 'T.'

"Fuck!" He shrieked excitedly.

"Henry, I-" She shook her head. "Okay, yeah. You can go get ice cream." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a 5 dollar bill. "Look both ways before crossing the street, and get some for your friend."

"Okay, Momma!" He left a sloppy kiss on her cheek before running to catch up with Emily.

Emma chuckled embarrassingly as she stood up. "Uh..." She cleared her throat nervously.

"Are you okay?" Regina asked, noticing the faint blush on Emma's cheeks and the way the blonde glanced at her left hand. No ring.

"Regina," Emma said, green meeting dark brown as she sighed softly. "Would you like to go get some ice cream?" Emma held out her arm, and Regina linked their arms together.

"I would love to."

Xxxxxxxxx

**December 25, 2027**

"So," 11 year old Henry asked as he smiled at his two mom's who were currently sitting on the couch, cuddled up together under a warm blanket.

"You've never told us the story of how you two met, Ma," he said as he picked up his little brother, Alexander off of the floor, sitting next to his older sister on the other couch.

"Well," Emma chuckled. "It's a funny story actually... I think your mom would love to tell you."

Regina rolled her eyes and playfully swatted her wife's thigh.

"Well," Regina began. "It started with a woman I met named Emily..."


End file.
